Power Plants: Drinking Water & Groundwater

Many power generation facilities use large quantities of water to produce steam to operate the steam turbine-generators, and condense the steam for reuse. This water may be obtained from surface waters, groundwater, or treated wastewater. When large quantities of water are required, the facility is required to obtain approval from the Department for the water withdrawal or diversion. A consumptive use exceeding 2 million gallons per day requires an approval under standards set in Ss. 281.35, Wis. Stats.. This approval is coordinated with permits for pumping groundwater and/or discharging wastewater.

Any groundwater withdrawal over 70 gallons per minute requires an approval from the Department Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater (s. 281.17, Wis. Stats.) The purpose of this review is to prevent potential, adverse impacts to groundwater availability to public utility wells. Requests for approval for diversions from surface waters are generally reviewed in the Department's regional offices.

To ensure that municipal systems are not adversely affected, wells pumping more than 70 gallons per minute must be reviewed by the Drinking and Groundwater program.

For more information on DNR's role in power plant permitting and drinking water and groundwater please contact:
Mark Putra
(608) 267-7649
or visit the Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater Program